Cat Among the Pigeons Bedside Visitor Franks POV
by liveforcolorx13
Summary: Frank sees Cat after he fight with Richmond and his gang. Rated T for Franks language. Franks POV. Cat/Frank


**Hey fanfic. I am continuing my Cat/Frank scenes for 'Cat Among the Pigeons' and will most likely do this, and the rest of the series. I have just re-read them all and have marked off all of the Cat/Frank fanfic worthy scenes, so subscribe to me if you want to be updated for them! Also be sure to review because if no one is responding to these I might give up. So here we go . . . (P.S. I forewarn you I am not a boy, so please excuse my un-boyish writing)**

"Shh," I said hushing my mother who was softly calling Cats name in the darkness. "She's sleeping." I whispered, as I made my way to Cat's beside. Taking a candle from her bedside table, I lit it quickly, and used its light to get a better view of Cat. She had a nasty bruise above her eye, and on her jaw, along with scrapes in various places on her small face. Her exposed arm was also covered in black and purple bruises. "Damn Cat." I swore. "I am going to kill those bastards, don't you worry." I said in a fierce whisper.

After placing the candle back on the table, I laid a light hand on Cats shoulder. She shot up quickly pulling the sheets around herself. "Don't worry, Cat, it's only me." I whispered, and she tried to meet my eye but I could bring myself to do it. "I brought you a visitor." I said motioning towards my mother.

"Oh no." Cat groaned as she collapsed onto the pillows, and my mother bent down to kiss her on the cheek. "Don't be alarmed, Master Tom Cat," my mother said using the cover-name for Cat. "I've heard all about it from Frank and Lizzie. I assure you that I have no interest in interfering with your, how shall I put it?" she asked pausing for a second. "Play a breeches role for a few weeks. I merely came along to being Frank back and leave the items you requested, and perhaps catch sight of you in your new guise. But when we arrived we learned you had ended up here, so I changed my role as messenger to that of sickbed visitor. I hope that is not unwelcome?" She asked, but I knew Cat didn't mind. My mother and she were quite fond of each other. Expectedly Cat shook her head, though her pain was evident.

I couldn't bear seeing her like this, knowing that I did nothing to protect her. I quickly got up and began pacing the room.

"Is there any news?" Cat asked, always thinking of anyone but herself.

"Of your little African friend?" My mother asked. "No, I'm sorry to say."

"Nothing?" Cat asked me.

"We've looked everywhere in Covent Garden. He's not there. Syd's spoken to the boys at Billingsgate and they're searching the port. So far, no news. All we know is that Pedro stayed home all day and the only visitors to the house were a blind piano tuner, and his assistant. At four in the afternoon, Pedro met them and showed them into the music room. According to the maid these two showed themselves out later when they'd finished. We're trying to find them because it sounds as if they were the last people to see Pedro. Joe "the card" thinks he knows where the blind man lives. Somewhere near Seven Dials, so he says, so we have to tread carefully." I explained, and her face dropped.

I began pacing again, until Cat spoke. "One of the boys who attacked me seemed to know a lot about Pedro. He said that Pedro's old master was planning to get him home and make an example of him as a warning to other runaways."

"He said that did he? How would he know?" I asked skeptically.

"He talked about it as if it were an open secret among the slavers. They all seem to be aware of what's planned even if they don't the details."

"It very possible. The planters have joined forces to opposed Mr. Wilberforce." My mother said stroking Cats arm tenderly.

"I wouldn't be surprised if they were all in on it." I said bitterly, running my hands through my hair. As if I didn't have enough to worry about with Cat, Pedro had to go missing too. "Pedro's become something of a test cause for both sides."

My mother sighed loudly. "If the slavers can get him out of England, the laws of slavery apply once more. He's no longer a servant but a slave again, God help him." She leaned forward to stroke Cats hair. "What are we going to do with you?" She said tenderly. "Shall I see if I can get you transferred to our house so we can look after you? It would certainly save you a lot trouble here." As generous as the offer was, I did not think Cat would enjoy my mother's "nursing" much.

"Have the runners stopped looking for me?" Cat asked.

"I don't know sweetheart. They've talked to the servants a couple of times according the Joseph."

"Do you think any of them would tell on me if they knew I was in the house?" asked Cat.

My mother frowned and turned to me. "What do you think Frankie?" using her nick-name for me.

"It's a very large staff we have, Mama. I don't know all of them. Cat's probably safer here for the moment." I said.

"What a shame." My mother said getting up, and brushing back Cats curls. "You know it rather suits you cropped. Long hair can be such a bore. I always prefer a wig, so much more convenient, but that's a secret best kept among you, me, and the hair dresser." She kissed Cat on the brow. "I was almost forgetting, here's your parcel from Lizzie. What would you like me to do with it?"

"Can you give it to Frank to take up to my room? It had better not stay here. If someone were to open it, I'd have some very awkward questions to answer." Said Cat, and my mother took her leave.

Once I heard the door close, and her footsteps cease I met Cat's eyes for the first time. "Dammit Cat, can't you keep out of trouble for five minutes?" I whispered angrily. Though not at her, more at myself. It was _my_ job to keep Cat safe, and what had I gone and done? Let her get beat up by a bunch of no good son-on-slavers.

"You know me, Frank. If there is trouble anywhere on hand, I'll walk right into it. Us runty fellows seem to attract it like magnets- even Mrs. Clough says so." Cat said, and I noticed her implied jab at me for calling her runty.

"Runty! I never said you were runty" I denied. "I may have implied you were a bit undersized but that's not surprising –"but I was cut off mid-sentence by Cat.

"What was it Milly said yesterday? When you're in a hole, stop digging?" She said with a smirk, I smiled happy to see that the beating had not put a marred her humour any.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there Cat." I said sitting down on the bed next to her.

"And I'm sorry I was." She said simply, and I knew she did not blame me for what happened, though I couldn't seem to do the same. "Try to stop Charlie from doing anything stupid in retaliation, won't you? Richmond might be a valuable source of information on Pedro. I wouldn't want his mouth to be permanently shut in some misguided attempt to avenge me." Asked Cat, I nodded in agreement. I was sure Charlie was off in our room planning exactly how he was going to get back at Richmond. Over the course of the past week Charlie had taken a fierce protectiveness over Cat, filling in as yet another surrogate brother for her. There was no doubt it my mind that Charlie would be almost as mad as I was about what happened to Cat.

I tapped Cat under the chin as I got up to leave. "Chin up, Tom Cat. You're certainly playing the part properly. Now you've been beaten black and blue, no one can say you didn't experience the full delights of boyhood." I said as I leaned down to kiss her cheek, and push back her hair. My eyes met her green one, shining brightly in the dark. "Good night Cat." I whispered in her ear and quickly left the room, finding myself blushing in the darkness, and a foreign flutter in my stomach.

**So what did you think? Reviews are most appreciated!**


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